Agricultural harvesters, such as combine harvesters, provide for efficient harvesting of crops such as corn. When configured for corn harvesting an agricultural harvester generally includes a corn header that separates crop material (i.e., ears of corn) from corn stalks. The removed ears of corn are fed into a separator that separates the grains of corn from all other materials other than grain (“MOG”). A typical corn header includes several row units, one for each row being harvested in a single pass over a field. As the corn header moves forward, a corn stalk in each row of corn enters the forwardly extending channel defined by the particular row unit associated with that row. Generally, each row unit includes a stripping plate with a gap (“stripping plate gap”) that is wide enough to receive the corn stalk, but not wide enough for the ear of corn on the stalk to pass through. As the harvester moves forward, the stripping plates exert a backward and upward force on the ear of corn while the row unit stalk rolls pull the corn stalks downwardly. The ears of corn are then collected by a feeder and processed by the combine harvester in a known fashion.
After a field of corn is processed in this manner, the stripped stalks remain behind in the field. Farmers typically leave the stripped stalks in the field between plantings to assist in controlling erosion of ground soil from wind and rain and to provide a natural fertilizer for subsequent crops after decomposition. However, since the stripped stalks remain standing, they sometimes interfere with the planting of subsequent crops. For this reason, farmers typically employ various methods for knocking down or chopping stripped stalks after harvesting a field of corn.
One method involves the use of tillage, whereby a farmer employs tilling equipment to work the stripped stalks into the ground to aid in decomposition of the stalks and clear the field for subsequent planting. A farmer may also employ “no-till” methods of processing the stripped stalks of corn. Unlike tillage, these methods do not process or work the soil, but rather seek to process only the stalks of corn themselves to clear the ground of obstacles that would otherwise prevent a subsequent crop of corn from being sewn. One no-till method involves the use of motorized stalk “cutters” or “choppers” that are dragged across a field after stalks of corn are harvested. Another method involves the use of large scale mowers to cut the stalks down after a harvest. While these methods are effective at clearing stripped stalks of corn before a subsequent planting, they require working the field a second time, which is very time consuming and labor intensive. These methods typically require extensive amounts of power. These disadvantages increase the cost of corn production and, as such, lead to reduced profit margins for farmers.
Accordingly, there is still a need for a stalk conditioner that can accelerate the breakdown of stripped stalks of corn while addresses the drawbacks of conventional methods and without increasing expense.